Entrepreneur adds funky twist to local shopping scene

Frustrated by the lack of apparel and gifts shops in the Magnolia area, Sharron Blair decided something needed to be done about the sorry state of shopping in her neighborhood.

Blair, 45, whose hobbies include shopping and home decorating, figured she would be the one to do it.

"I love people, I love to talk and I love to shop," said Blair, ticking off some of the attributes she believes will make her a success in her new business.

About six months after Blair first entertained the idea of opening a clothing boutique and tea room on FM 1488, she found herself welcoming customers through the pink door of the Funky Flamingo at its February grand opening.

Blair had refreshed a tired, old house that was originally in the Heights with lively jungle decor, and dubbed it the Funky Flamingo. Her favorite collectibles are pink flamingos and anything with wild animal print.

Since Leopard Flamingo didn't exactly roll off the tongue, Blair's daughter Keri, 14, suggested Funky Flamingo would be a better boutique name, and Blair went with it.

"I'm a total rookie at this, but I really wanted to do it, and the community needs it," said Blair whose entrepreneurial spirit and enthusiasm is infectious. "I want to provide a way for people to look good without using their entire paycheck."

With the support of her husband, Tom, who charged her with becoming a success so he could retire early, Blair went straight to work.

"He thinks I'm great at this and is glad I found something that he said I was born to do," said Blair, whose children Kyle, 19, and Keri also approve.

First, Blair secured a personal loan. Then she scoured the classified ads under the heading "Houses to be Moved" in search of the perfect home for her new boutique.

"Deborah has been so successful with her new business and has been a major inspiration to me," Blair said.

Blair researched every vacant piece of property in the area until she found a 1-acre parcel two doors down from Johnson, and five minutes from home. She signed a two year lease in early November.

"I didn't want to lease property in a strip shopping center because it's so boring," she said. "I thought it would be more fun to buy an old house and renovate."

Blair also said it was her mother's dream to open a tea room, and she wanted to help.

"It's something I talked about a lot," said Janet Young, Blair's mother. "When Sharron saw the kitchen in the house, she said, `Mom, I'm going to make your dream come true.' "

Blair acquired a four-room house originally located in the Heights. She bought it from a house mover on Aldine-Bender and had it trucked to FM 1488.

The 800-square-foot house, which Blair estimates to be 102 years old, was delivered two days before Thanksgiving and set on blocks. The countdown to opening day had begun.

She had already cleared the lot, put in a septic tank, dug a culvert and shaped the driveway. But the hard work was yet to come.

"We had to tear down walls, put in new Sheetrock, install new wood floors, new plumbing, new air conditioning and heating, and I began thinking that I had gotten in over my head," Blair said. "But I was in so deep by then, there was no backing out. Besides I still really wanted to do it."

Infected with Blair's enthusiasm, old friends and new friends lined up to help.

"Tom and his best friend Tony Carnell, a master plumber, did all the plumbing in 30-degree weather," Blair said. "They dressed in thermals, drank hot chocolate to stay warm and cussed up a storm."

Jack Stephens, a jack-of-all trades, was recruited to paint the bathroom in flamingo fashion, while Greg Huckeba began tearing out walls and building an 8-foot-wide deck that wraps around the house. Johnson took care of the landscaping.

"I truly, truly couldn't have done it without them," Blair said. "They all went above and beyond to help make my dream come true."

The crew is working next door renovating three of seven houses purchased by the property owner. Seems he caught the entrepreneurial bug and wants to be a part of the future FM 1488 shopping village.

Blair and her mother are happy to be able to offer the community a fun, affordable place to shop and relax while dining on "comfort food" -- salads, sandwiches, soups and desserts.

"This is where people can go to do all the things that are important," Blair said. "Eat to live, and live to shop. That's my motto."

The Funky Flamingo is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday, and is located at 6930 FM 1488. The tea room is open from 11 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.